A Funky Thanksgiving to all

I can’t give you a personally shot video of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade today because, well, here I am with my dear wife Karen in A Bitty Better in the Galeville neighborhood of Liverpool getting ready to celebrate the holiday, and the big hoo-ha is down there in Manhattan. But I did think ahead…

And so Leon Russell says to me …

The year is 1999, and Leon Russell is coming to perform at the New York State Blues Festival in downtown Syracuse’s Clinton Square. I bag a phone interview to write a preview story for the big daily. So in my preparation, I see that Mr. Russell doesn’t do many interviews any more. In fact, some…

A special concert in Homer opens its doors to Veterans for free

My friend Tom Honan is doing a good thing for those who’ve served. The music promoter put together a special Veterans Day show, at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at the Homer Center of the Arts. And his Live Space Entertainment company will let all Veterans into the concert for free. Professor Louie and the…

Shore enough, Jersey Boys rolls along at the Landmark Theatre

In what could be argued as the pivotal point in a life full of swing moments for these four kids from Jersey, Frankie, Tommy and Nick set eyes on new kid Bob for the first time when plucky talent pusher Joey Fish – yeah, the kid turn out to be Joe Pesci, we find out…

Talking YouTube, Syracuse University football, the Heath Brothers and Neil Diamond

YouTube and its little view-counter fascinates me. I can’t help it. Friday night I enjoyed experiencing the Counting Crows and Rob Thomas with my dear wife Karen and our friends Michelle and Kristin at the Lakeview Amphitheater. I knew I was going to post my story about the experience here Saturday morning, so I put…

Our first upgrade inside the amphitheater allows close up of sweaty Rob Thomas, Counting Crows

As we rode with Michelle at the wheel on the way to the Lakeview Amphitheater last night, Kristin reminded us of the upgrade option. She said the table would be greeting the four of us with the chance to trade in our lawn tickets to see Counting Crows and Rob Thomas – or Rob Thomas…

All we need is more rockers like Tom Petty runnin’ down their dreams

Every time I hear somebody utter the hated phrase Rock is dead, I shake my head, sometimes my fist, and say, sometimes to myself and sometimes out loud, Not in my house. Not in my heart. So when my music-loving sis Sandra Bialdez from the forever-adored West Coast blog Square One Notes (not her real…

2-band day fits for Jazz Fest on a holiday weekend

The M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest took a different role in my life this holiday weekend. Through more than two decades I’ve stuck a pad and pen in my pocket, hung a VIP-seating pass around my neck and made my way to wherever founder and executive director Frank Malfitano staged the fantastic event. For the bulk…

Hall and Oates turn back the clock on the edge of Onondaga Lake

“Nice venue,” both Daryl Hall and John Oates decided shortly after taking the state at the Lakeview Amphitheater on Saturday night. For our second visit to the new venue on the shore of Onondaga Lake, my dear wife Karen and I agreed. We arrived around 6 p.m., some 90 minutes before show time. Cruised into…

My ukulele-playing fingers don’t bend like that

My Saturday assignment at the Liverpool Public Library fit neatly into my bucket list. I took photographs and shot videos at the monthly Ukulele for Beginners workshop led by Pat Doherty. Earlier this year, my dear wife Karen surprised me with the gift of a ukulele because I’d told her I’d like to learn to…